Totalizing mechanism for computing-machines.



A. G. SNYDER. TOTALIZING MECHANISM FOR COMPUTING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1910.

1,118,377, I Patented N0v.24,1914.

F/GJ F/G.E

Alfomeys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS G. SNYDER, OF UTICA, NEW YORK, ASSIG'NOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO GEORGE H. SPITZLI, OF U'IICA, NEW YORK.

TOTALIZING MECHANISM FOR COMPUTING-MACHINES.

Application filed November 29, 1910.

T0 all whom itmag concern:

' Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS G. SNYDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Totalizing Mechanism for Computing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to computing machines and more particularly to that portion of the mechanism by which the results of the various computing operations are accumulated and the final result indicated or otherwise registered. These computing operations may be of any character, but for convenience this portion of the mechanism is referred to as a totalizer.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a totalizer of simple and inexpensive construction which is as well capable of accurately accumulating the results of subtraction and division as those of addition and multiplication.

More particularly the invention relates to computing machines employing a totalizer comprising a series of index or number wheels respectively actuated by operating gears, and a master gear, the totalizer and master gear being relatively movable to bring the master gear successively into engagement with the several operating gears of the totalizer. Y

In machines of this character the totalizer is actuated by the master gear to vary one or more of the digits registered by the totalizer by an amount depending upon the amountof rotation of the master gear, while the order of the digit or digits so varied will depend upon the particular operating gear engaged by the master gear.

For convenience the invention is herein shown and described in the form of a modification of the totalizing mechanism disclosed in my application for Letters Patent filed May 28, 1910, Serial No. 564,300.

One type of transfer mechanism employed in totalizers of the general character above referred to for carrying from one of the digit or number wheels to the adjacent number wheel of the next order is substantially as follows. Each of the. gears for operating the respective number wheels is pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24:, 1914.

Serial No. 594,698.

vided with ten teeth. One of theteeth on each of said gears, with the exception of the gear for operating the number wheel of the highest order, is rigidly extended laterally into the plane of the number wheel of the next higher order. The arrangement is such that when a number wheel which is set to register 9 is turned to or through the position to register 0, the number wheel of the next higher order is advanced one num- This construction and arrangement is accurate and very satisfactory for the purpose of performing operations of addition. Itis desirable, however, that the machine be adapted also to perform operations of subtraction merely by reversing the direction of rotation of the master gear and the consequent direction of actuation of the totalizing mechanism. lVith the construction described, when a number wheel is set to register 0 the extended tooth of the corresponding operating gear is in a position in which it may be engaged by the number wheel of the next higher order when said last named number wheel is turned baclnvardly one or more numbers. If, therefore, in employingsuch prior construction for operations of subtraction, said number wheel of the higher order be turned backwardly one number by its operating gear, the carrying tooth engaged by said number wheel of the higher order, the operating gear by which said tooth is carried, and the adjacent number wheel of the lower order which is operated by said gear may also be turned backwardly, 2'. e., from 0 to 9, so that the amount subtracted from the total amount indicated on the totalizer will be only one tenth of the correct amount. If the number wheel of the higher order be retrograded more than one IlllIIlbGl,tl1lS error will remain.

It will therefore be seen that the extended or transfer tooth connecting two adjacent number wheels must be rendered inoperative when the number wheel of the higher order is turned backwardly in order to enable the mechanism correctly to perform operations of subtraction. On the other hand this tooth cannot be dispensed with entirely if the'totalizcr is to be used for addition. )Ioreover this transfer tooth connecting adjacent number wheels is necessary in the operation of subtraction when the number with means whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of certain forms or embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the constructions described and shown have been chosen for illustrative purposes merely, and that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

I In said drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of the totalizer. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation, partly in section, with a part of the casing removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles to Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in a different position. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4 illustrating a modification. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view showing two adjacent number wheels and their corresponding operating gears.

The totalizing mechanism is preferably inclosed in a casing herein shown as comprising side plates 12 connected by spacing bars 13, a front plate 14:, a top cover plate 15, and a bottom plate 16. Intermediate the front plate 1 1 and top cover plate 15 is left a space 17 forming an 'index opening through which the numerals on the number wheels 18 may be observed, whilebeneath said top cover plate at the rear is proon the gears 19.

vided an opening through which the operating gears 19 are engaged by the master gear 20. The front plate 14 is provided with undercut flanges 21, by which the totalizer is attached to the machine, and with a latch 22 by which said totalizer is secured in desired position, as described more fully in my prior application above referred to. The specific form of the totalizer casing and attaching means, however, constitute no part of the present invention and may be of any suitable character.

Extending between the side plates 12 in the construction shown are shafts 23 and 24 upon which are loosely mounted the number wheels 18 and the operating gears 19, respectively. The number wheels 18 carry upon their peripheries the index numerals, and between said numerals are provided with notches which are engaged by the teeth The parts thus far de multiple of ten, and herein. shown as twenty.

Carried by each of said gears, with the exception of that cooperating with the number wheel of the highest order, is a plate or disk 28 located in the plane of the number wheel of thenext higher order and provided with a suitable number of transfer teeth, herein shown as two, 29 and 29 The disks 28 are connected with the gears 19 for rotation therewith, but are arranged to slide transversely thereon in order to permit the transfer teeth carried thereby to be projected outwardly to positions adjacent to the teeth carried by said gears 19, or to be retracted into an inoperative position within the periphery of said gears.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 each of the gears 19 is provided centrally upon one of its lateral faces with a rectangular projection 30 while each of the disks 28 is provided with a centrally located rectangular opening 31 corresponding in width to the pro ection 30, but of a sufiiciently greater length to permit the movements above referred to.

Mounted on a shaft 32 extending between the casing side plates 12 are arms 33 carrying a roller 34 yieldingly pressed toward the gears 19 by a spring 35, and limited as to its movement away from. said gears by a stop 36 arranged to engage said arms 33. The form of this roller is most clearly shown in Fig. 2. Said roller is cut away at 37 to provide spaces in which the toothed periplr cries of the gears 19 are received, and inter mediate said recesses is formed with disklike projections 38 adapted to engage the peripheries of the disks 28 and the teeth 29 and 29 carried thereby.

The arrangement of parts is such that as the gears 19 are so turned .as to carry one of the teeth 29 across the plane connecting the axes of the shafts 23 and 24 the opposite tooth 29 on the disk 28 will be engaged by the roller 34 so that the disk 28 will be held with the tooth 29 which is adjacent to the number wheel 18 rigidly in operative position and in engagement with said number wheel. With the gear 19 in any other" pcsition, however, the tooth 29 will be out of engagement with the roller 34, and the disk 28 correspondingly free to movetransspondingly turned to varythe number displayed thereby through the index opening 17. During that part of the rotation of any number wheel 18,. for example that designated A in Fig. 6, in which the number displayed is changed from 9 to O, the parts will assume the positions shown in Fig. 3. At this time the turning of the gear 19 in mesh with said number wheel, and indicated by a in Fig. 6, causes one of the transfer teeth (herein shown as the tooth 29*) on the disk 28 carried by said gear 19 to be moved over the corresponding projection 38 on the roller 34. Said tooth acts upon said roller in the nature of a cam, but as the movement of said roller is limited by the stop 36 the disk 28 will be moved to and held in a position transverse of the gear 19 which will cause the opposite transfer tooth 29 to be rigidly held in the position shown in Fig.

v 3 until the tooth 29 passes out of engageare all

ment with the roller 34. During this movement the transfer tooth 29 acts as a rigid tooth for the purpose of advancing the number wheel of the next higher order, desi gn'ated by the letter B in Fig. 6, one number.

The parts now being in substantially the positions shown in Fig. 4, let it be assumed that the master gear is rotated in the opposite direction for the purpose of performing subtraction, thereby causing the gears 19 to to turned from right to left as shown in said figure. The number wheel 18 of the lower order, indicated by A in Fig. 6, is, with the parts as shown in Fig. 4, in a position to show the numeral 0 at the index opening 17. Supposing now that the corresponding gear 19, the gear a in Fig. 6, be

turned to change the number displayed by the wheel A from 0 to 9, in order to subtract one from the total amount indicated by the totalizer. To make the result correct it is necessary that the number wheel of the next higher order, the wheel B, be turned backwardly one number. This is done by the transfer tooth 29 on the disk 28 carried by said gear a, which during this operation is held in operative position by the engagement of the tooth 29 with the roller 34, the operation being substantially the same as above described in connection with the process of addition except that the parts are turned in the opposite direction.

Again assuming the parts to be as shown in Fig. 4, suppose that the gear 19 in mesh with the number wheel B of the higher order (said gear being shown in dotted lines and designated by the letter Z; in Fig. 6) be operated-by the master gear to turn said wheel B backwardly. The number wheel A, which displays the numeral 0, must now be left undisturbed. The transfer tooth 29 which connects the. number wheels A and B is formed on the disk 28 carried by the gear a. This gear is not turned by the master gear in the operation in question, and to prevent its being turned to operate the wheel A by reason of its connection with the transfer tooth cooperating with the wheel B, the said transfer tooth is thrown out of operation. Referring to Fig. 4 it will be seen that at this time the tooth 29 is out of operative engagement with the roller 34, and will not be brought into engagement therewith during the operation in question, since, the gear a is not turned. The disk 28 is therefore free to fall into the position shown in Fig. 4 in which the tooth 29 is retracted and outof the path of movement of the number wheel B. Should said disk 28 fail to fall back into inoperative position under the influence of gravity or other means provided for that purpose, upon retrograde rotation of the number wheel B the tooth or portion of said number wheel marked w in Fig. 4 will strike upon the end of said transfer tooth 29 and positively move the same into inoperative position.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a modification of the construction above described, in which the roller 34 is omitted. In said modification the shaft 240'is provided with a series of fixed collars,40 upon which are loosely mounted the operating gears 190 and having cam projections 41 between said gears. Each of said gears, with the exception of the gear cooperating with the number wheel of the highest order, is provided on one lateral face with a pair of guide strips 300 arranged on opposite sides of the corresponding collar 40 and adapted to-be re-v ceived in a guide opening 310 in the disk 280 carrying the transfer teeth 290, and which is thereby slidably mounted on said gear 190. Each of said disks 280 is provided with cam projections 42 extending into the guide opening 310 and adapted to cooperate with the cam projection 41 on the corresponding collar 40.

It is thought that the operation of this a series of number or digit wheels and a series of combined operating and transfer gears therefor. It will also be seen that the mechanism involves the use of no gears or other devices interposed between the number wheels, thereby making an extremely compact structure particularly well adapted for use in a computing attachment for typewriters, as more fully set forth in my prior application hereinbefore referred to.

Having thus described my invention I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a totalizer for computing machines, in combination, two index members, mechanism for independently actuating said members including alternatively operative or inoperative transfer mechanism connecting said members and controlled as to its operativeness by the actuation of said members independently of the position of said totalizer, said transfer mechanism being operative when one of said members is actuated in either direction and inoperative when the other of said members is actuated irrespective of the position of said first named member.

2. In a totalizer for computing machines, in combination, two index members, mechanism for independently actuating said members including alternatively operative or inoperative t 'ansfer mechanism connecting said members and controlled as to its operativeness by the actuation of said members, independently of the position of said totalizer, said transfer mechanism being operative when one of said members is actuated and inoperative when the other of said members is actuated in either direction irrespective of the position of said firstnamed member.

In a totalizer for computing machines, in combination, two index members, sepa rate operating devices for said members, and an alternatively operative or inoperative transfer device cooperating with said members and controlled as to its operativeness by the actuation of said operating devices independently of the position of said totalizer, said transfer device being opera tive when one of said operating devices is actuated in either direction and inoperative when the other of said operating de vices is actuated irrespective of the position of said firstnamed operating device.

a. In a totalizer for computing machines, in combination, two index members, separate operative devices for said members, and an alternatively operative or inoperative transfer device cooperating with said members and controlled as to its operativeness by the actuation of said operating devices independently of the position of said totalizer, said transfer device being operative when one of said operating devices is actuated and inoperative when the other of said operating devices is actuated in either direction irrespective of the position of said first-named operating device.

5. In a totalizer for computing machines, in combination, two index members, mechanism for independently actuating said members including alternatively operative transfer mechanism connecting said members and controlled as to its operativeness by the actuation of said members.independently of the position of said totalizer, said transfer mechanism being operative when the index member of the lower order is actuated in either direction and inoperative when the index member of the higher order is actuated irrespective of the position of said index member of the loWer order.

6. In a totalizer for computing machines, in combination, two index members, mechanism for independently actuating'said members including alternatively operative or inoperative transfer mechanism connecting said members and controlled as to its operativeness by the actuation of said members, independently of the position of said totalizer, said transfer mechanism being operative when the index member of the lower order is actuated and inoperative when the index member of the higher order is actuated in either direction irrespective of the position of said index member of the lower order.

7. In a machine of the character described, in combination, two index members, separate operating devices for said members, and a transfer device carried by one of said operating devices and adapted directly to engage and operate the index member controlled by the other of said operating devices when the operating device by which it being inoperative at all other times irrespective of the position of the index member operated thereby.

8. In a totalizing mechanism, in combination, an operating gear, a member slidably mounted on the lateral face of said gear and provided with a transfer tooth, and means for positively controlling said member.

In a machine of the character described, in combination, two index members,

is carried is actuated, said transfer device separate operating devices for said members,

normally inoperative transfer mechanism intermediate said members, and means for rendering said transfer mechanism operative when one of said operating devices is actuated.

10. In a totalizing mechanism, in combination, an operating gear, a member slidably mounted on said gear and carrying a transfer tooth. and means for engaging said member as said gear is rotated, said member and means having cooperating cam surfaces whereby said member is slid on said gear.

11. In a totalizing mechanism, in combination, a number wheel, an operating gear meshing therewith, a transfer disk slidably mounted on the lateral face of said gear and having two oppositely disposed transfer teeth, and a roller engaging the periphery of said disk and adapted as said gear is rotated to engage one of said transfer teeth.

and move said disk to carry the other of said transfer teeth 'into engagement with said number wheel.

12. In a totalizing mechanism, in combination, a series of coaxial number wheels arranged with their lateral faces substantially in contact, a parallel series of coaxial gears for operating said number wheels, t 'ansfer members located between said gears and operated thereby, and means for rendering said members operative and inoperative.

13. In a machine of the character described, in combination, two index members, separate operating devices for said members, a transfer device actuated by one of said operating devices and having a portion adapted to engage and actuate the index member operated by said other operating device, said transfer device being movable to carry said portion into and out of the path of movement of the index member actuated thereby, and means for moving said transfer device into operative position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUSTUS G. SNYDER.

\Vitnesses \VALTERC. ENGLISH, ARTHUR WV. CALVER. 

